Thursday, August 9, 2012

New Beer Friday - August 10 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

Good news this week for the do-it-yourself crowd. Yesterday we announced the dates for the 2012 Customer Appreciation Homebrew & Winemaking sale. Exact details are here, but you would do well to keep at least one day free for your homebrew hobby the week of September 10. Incidentally, that gives you about a month to save up clams for the sweet new mash tun you've been eyeing. Just don't do so at the expense of your weekly beer budget—this week's New Beer Friday is a doozy. Maple bacon doughnut ale, anyone?

Ommegang Biere D' Hougoumont, $16.49/750ml - "Brewed with traditional French ale yeast, eight malts, French Strisselspalt hops, and aged on white oak and hard maple wooden staves. A traditional Biere De Garde style, this malty French-style farmhouse ale is brewed to be aged. The name honors the Hougoumont farmstead at the pivotal center of the Waterloo battlefield. Napoleon repeatedly failed to take the fortification, he then lost the battle and met his Waterloo" (source).

Petrus Blond Ale, $4.09/11.2oz - "A top-fermented beer brewed with pure spring water and carefully selected malts and hops. This blond beer is soft and full of flavor and preferably served cool" (source).

Spaten Oktoberfest, $1.79/12oz - "This medium bodied beer has achieved its impeccable taste by balancing the roasted malt flavor with the perfect amount of hops. Having a rich textured palate with an underlying sweetness true to tradition" (source).

Dupont Monk's Stout, $10.09/750ml - "This is a beer already brewed in the 1950’s by Dupont Brasseries. As Dupont has extra fermentation capacity now, Olivier has the luxury of crafting some new brews, or re-creating some old specialties.There were two test versions of Monk’s Stout, both at 5.2% abv. One was dry and roasty, and another is said to be a little more rounded. Monk’s Stout is available in 33cl bottles and 20 liter kegs in Belgium" (source).

Vanberg & DeWulf Lambrucha, $12.89/750ml - A mix of Lambic and Kambucha yeast. "Beautiful pale gold color with hints of rose. Aromas of sage, rosemary, cucumber and sea spray come bracingly forward. A lemony sourness greets the palate but is quickly replaced by even more refreshing flavors of pine, mint, rosemary and cedar. A tight, small bubble carbonation cleans the palate completely leaving a sense of tonic refreshment" (source).

Posca Rustina, $11.49/750ml - "Known as Cervesia in Belgium this beer is a throwback inspired by research into the drinks of the Gallo-Roman era. It is surely one of the brewery’s most exotic beers. It is a “Cervoise” beer spiced with a gruit (an old-fashioned herb mixture used to bitter and flavor beer, that was popular before hops came to predominate). Posca Rustica beer is highly, if delicately, spiced. Sweet woodruff (known as Galium odoratum or wild baby’s breath) and bog myrtle are but two of about a dozen spices used. Posca Rustica has a unique, odiferous and spicy character. Bottle conditioned. Beguiling and unusual. Discover what beer tasted like when Belgium was ruled by the Roman Empire" (source).

Lava Smoked Imperial Stout, $11.49/500ml - "Smoked imperial stout with a thick brown head. Sweet with chocolate and roasted malt in the flavour. The aftertaste is roasted malt, smoke and warming alcohol. Aroma of smoke chocolate and a bit of alcohol" (source).

Hop-Ruiter, $10.99/750ml - This beer "has a full, almost rustic malt body, and pairs Belgian yeast-driven flavors with American assertive hoppiness. It is dry hopped, with two noble varieties which add complexity, delicacy and a bit of funk" (source).

Big Sky Kriek 2010, $15.79/750ml - "Big Sky Kriek Ale is a unique creation that defines its own style. We start with a Belgian Style Golden Ale and then add a gererous amount of organic cherries from The Orchard at Flathead Lake. It is then aged with another addition of cherries for a minimum of 3 months in French oak wine barrels. Temperature controlled bottle conditioning provides a nice balanced finish. So kick off your hard soles and relax next to a Big Sky Creek...er, Kriek" (source).

Unibroue Grand Reserve 17, $15.09/750ml - "In 2011, we proudly brought back this French Oak aged, bottle refermented dark ale, with the "Grande Réserve" appellation as a fitting endorsement of it’s exceptional quality for aging. Brewed only once a year, in limited quantities, and individually numbered "brasseur" bottles, this is truly a flavorful delight for the specialty beer enthusiast" (source).

New Holland Pilgrim's Dole, $3.99/12oz - "Pilgrim’s Dole is a barleywine-style ale made with fifty percent wheat malt, or what we at New Holland call a wheatwine. Pilgrim’s Dole blends warming and slightly sweet flavors with a unique caramelized character. It would be an excellent accent to nutty dishes, fruit crisps or creme brulee" (source).